Combining textures together versus combining materials together for landscape texturing

Jazon99

Hi guys!

I am learning about 2 ways to texture large landscapes. Mask creating and terrain creation not a problem. I am more interested in texturing workflows. If someone who is pro can gave some good tips, pros cons what is usually for both terrains for games or in 3ds max, Blender.

If I have 5 masks and textures for grass, gravel, rocks, snow,...

1. I pre combine, blend them together. I mean I make composite base color textures together with masks, composite roughness texture, composite normal texture and then just connect them to 1 material.

2. I do not pre combine, blend textures together. I just blend materials together. So grass, gravel, rocks, snow materials are combined and masked into combined material. Obviously then I have more materials.

I do not know what is better method. If I combine textures together I think I have more control on base color map and can easily do some overlays, tweaks later on.

Fabi_G

Hi! Assuming you're using a game engine, I would start by checking it's documentation on landscape texturing (e.g. Unreal, Unity) and go from there. There's probably some sample content available, which you can learn from and re-use.

Eric Chadwick

Is this a portfolio piece, or is it development for an actual game? 

If the former, then perfect technique doesn’t really matter, it’s much more important that the landscape looks amazing. Definitely should be done in a game engine, but an optimized performant technique is not required at all. The tech in actual production is going to vary tremendously.

Jazon99

Not a game. Currently doing it in Blender and 3ds Max Vray to make some nice shots. I think that using composite mats is better at least customization wise. Easy to mix together add a mask overlay and more variety before fed into material slots. If you have 1 material then you cant color correct it after material node. And I use UVW randomizers and tri planar. Performance wise I dunno, less materials is better?